Immortal Families Are Eternally Messy
by TagTheScullion
Summary: I do believe Hazel and Nico to be between the most 'family like' demigod siblings in the whole series (and I've always thought Hades as a rather responsible father, being the godly parent). This will be a bunch of one-shots with them bonding. Cover image by Smallnico in Tumblr, all credits to her.
1. The Benefit of Doubt

**I've always thought of Nico and Hades' relationship to be rather close for godly parent and son. Or at least close compared to the way other godly parents openly ignore their children. After reading that Blood of Olympus' part where Nico and Hades talk in Portugal, I've come to the conclusion that Cabin 13 deserves its own story.**

 **I'll write this story as a series of one-shots (maybe two-part stories at most). I won't promise quick updates, or even periodical ones. Unfortunately, I'm neither very responsible nor have a lot of free time right now.**

 **I hope you guys enjoy! And as always, PJO isn't mine, it's Rick Riordan's.**

* * *

Nico had already guessed he was in some kind of trouble from the moment he'd made up his mind about helping Hazel come back from the dead.

Still, the summons of his father had made it all too real. Like an alarm going off in his brain, like _I hope you've enjoyed your last day alive because you'll be eaten by furies tonight!_

He blanked his face as he entered Hades' palace doors. Even if he was frightened, he was going to keep his posture. Ironically enough, it was his dad who always insisted that looking regal and composed was for the best. Not that Nico usually cared, but despite his own will, there was a part of him that wished to never disappoint the God of the Underworld.

When he rushed into the main hall he saw both his father and Persephone sitting idly on their respective thrones.

 _Great_ , he thought, _she's here to see me being shish kebab-ed into Alecto's next dinner_.

But to his surprise, shortly after Nico bowed his head and greeted them, she got up and left quietly.

"I'd rather she didn't find out about your little mishap," Hades explained to Nico's inquiring look.

Nico fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

"I want to know why you helped her," his father stated.

Nico resisted an impulse to raise an eyebrow. His father, even if not as harsh with him as with other demigods, wasn't one to ask for things so calmly. It didn't even sound like an order to Nico, more like a suggested course of action.

"I..." he thought for a second. "I believed she deserved a second chance. What happened to her wasn't her fault," he explained quickly.

"No," Hades agreed. "It was her mother's. And yet she took the blame, and bargained for her mother's freedom from the Fields of Punishment."

"That's why she wasn't in Elysium?" he asked, suddenly.

"Yes," his dad said simply.

"Now, whether _you_ thought it was fair or not for her to be where she was, doesn't matter, does it?" Hades remarked with a pointed look. "She was dead, and should've stayed that way."

"I know," Nico promised. "But I just... Nobody has to know, Hazel and I can keep it that way."

Hades threw him an incredulous look, "There was this phrase your mother used to say when you and Bianca lied, what was it?"

" _L_ _e bugie hanno le gambe corte_?" Nico offered.

"Yes, lies have short legs," the Lord of the Underworld said. "And speaking of Bianca, I assume that's the only reason why Hazel breathes again."

 _Harsh_ , Nico winced, _And mostly uncalled for_.

"I won't tag your actions as mistakes until proven to be," Hades kept going. "But if you so kindly loaded me with one more weight over my shoulders, I shall do so as well."

Nico tried to keep his cool, nothing any god ever asked for came cheap.

"You must have noticed, or at least sensed some differences between yourself and Hazel," Hades said.

"She's a nice and a more-or-less happy person?" Nico guessed.

His father stared at him. Nico shrugged.

"She doesn't understand Greek?" he replied, more seriously this time.

"Exactly, then her powers differ from yours, and she's Pluto's daughter more than mine," his dad finished.

"Wait, Pluto's?" Nico questioned. "They're... you're the same!"

"Because that video they showed you at Camp Half-Blood said so?" Hades asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fair enough," the demigod accepted. "But how come you're so different from the Roman form? Does that happen with every god and goddess?"

"Because gods are what mortals make them, and Romans had different ways that Greeks, and yes, in most cases," his father said. "Now before you keep asking questions just allow me to explain."

Nico closed his mouth and nodded emphatically.

"There's another camp close to San Francisco," the god confided. "They worship the Roman forms of gods and follow the traditions of the Roman Empire. They're harsh, and don't tolerate as much as they do on the Greek side. Do you understand me?"

"Strict Romans, got it," he summed up. "And you want me to help Hazel fit in? I'm not very _good_ at fitting in, unfortunately..."

"Your social troubles do not concern me as of now," Hades stated dryly. "You'll go as my ambassador..."

"Pluto's," Nico corrected, while deep in his own thoughts.

Hades smirked. He knew Nico could keep the secret to himself.

"You must reach their praetors and secure a position for Hazel in that camp," Hades ordered. "And of course you must act in secret. No telling anyone about the Greek side, avoid Greek names. Even when talking to Hazel."

Nico took half a second longer than usual to answer, "Alright. But didn't you say lies were a bad idea?"

"Then don't lie," Hades waved a hand. "Bend the truth to your benefit."

Nico frowned but nodded nonetheless.

"Off you go, then, son," his dad dismissed him.

Nico walked towards Charon's boat, thinking of different ways of finding this other camp.

Meanwhile Hades sat on his throne thinking he was glad his son was even if a tiny bit closer to him than most demigods to their parents.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Persephone, returning to her own place, next to him.

"Nothing," the Lord of the Underworld shook his head.


	2. Happy coming of age

**Here I bring you chapter two. I'm not much of a heavy drinker myself but I thought a drunk sibling could be funny to write. Hope you guys like it.**

 **As always, PJO belongs to Uncle Rick**

* * *

Nico wasn't one to get drunk easily, nor very often. He wasn't much of a lightweight, so managing to make him tipsy took too much time and energy, and beverage.

Thing is, for his 18th birthday, Jason and Percy had decided that some drinking was in order.

"It's not even legal to drink 'till I'm like 21," Nico had objected.

"We made some investigating," Jason said.

"And the legal age to drink in Italy is at 18. I mean it did say something about 16, but we didn't understand it so we just went with 18," Percy concluded. "And now that you're thinking of going to college overseas... Well, we thought it proper to introduce you to this."

He shook a bottle of beer to his face.

Of course, his cousins' idea hadn't been to make him too drunk. Neither of them was under the impression than the now-adult hadn't drunk before at all. And they knew Nico wouldn't allow them to drink him under the table.

Plans, however, changed slightly when word got out, and soon Cabin 13 had become a secret-but-not-really party venue. The Stolls had been the first to break the 'only beer and other light drinks allowed' rule with a smuggled full whiskey and shot glasses.

Soon, after a very specific and intense _Never Have I Ever_ game, Nico walked out of his cabin for some fresh air.

As he walked he came to the astounding conclusion, _The line I'm walking on is just as straight as I am._ He giggled.

Some shinny reflection caught his eye. The canoe lake looked like a mirror, the full moon looked like a perfect ball of cheese. Of course Nico knew that Artemis wasn't a perfectly round ball of cheese. _Or actually, gods can look like whatever they want,_ he thought. _Can they look like food?_

Lost in thoughts concerning whether his dad could be made of breakfast bacon or not, he rowed a canoe right to the center of the lake. Or what he believed to be the center. The fuzzy world was fuzzy but he was pretty sure he was far from the lake banks.

He lied on the canoe staring at the could-be-made-of-cheese moon and smoked a cigarette calmly.

The smoke made shape-shifting clouds, and Nico giggled at one that looked like a butt.

Just then a voice broke his utmost concentration.

"Nico?" it yelled from somewhere to his left. No, right. He sat fast, and regretted the acid feeling on his throat. Almost comically slowly he rowed his majestic ship so it was now looking towards the East.

There, with her legs to her knees on the water stood Hazel.

Nico giggled.

"Why are you swimming? It's cold," he shook his head matter-of-factly.

Hazel made a groanish sound with her throat.

"You're drunk," she stated.

"No," he argued. "I'm happy."

"Those are two terms that aren't mutually exclusive," she remarked.

Nico frowned, as his sister wadded her way in the dark mass of water.

"I don't understand your English when you mumble," he shrugged, then went back to lie on his canoe.

"Can't you come closer?" Hazel asked, trying to keep her accent to a minimum. "Soon the water will go over my head."

"Do you think the moon can be made or cheese?" he replied. "I've been going over that for a long, _long_ while."

He heard Hazel mumble something.

"Mumble, mumble, mumble," he sing-songed.

"What will it take for you to move over here?" she insisted.

"Will is here?" Nico sat up suddenly.

Again he barely stopped his last dinner from making a reappearance. Unfortunately, that also meant grabbing the rim of the canoe with enough force to destabilize it.

Nico had just enough time to think, _Uh-oh_ before the canoe did a hundred and eighty degree turn.

As he broke the surface he made a desperate attempt to reach for the canoe.

"My ship sinks!" he cried.

Hazel couldn't help but bark with laughter.

"How _dare_ you make fun of my vessel's tragic fate?" he yelled, trying to float while climbing a turned canoe.

He managed to sit sloppily on the boat with one leg over each side.

Hazel sighted loudly and swam until she could try and climb the canoe, too.

"Not unlike that part in Titanic," Nico said. "There's space for only one of us."

"I though you said Jack could've fitted perfectly," Hazel frowned.

Nico stared at her for half a minute, "Well, yes," he nodded. "But Rose was a jerk and so am I. Off my ship."

And he pushed her.

Now Hazel could've expected many things, but a drunk Nico pushing her off an upside canoe at roughly 3am... That was too far-fetched.

She blinked a few times as she sustained her floatage. What could she do to take him off the lake?

Nico, on the other hand, was happily testing how far he could go before he turned the canoe again if he rocked it one way and then the other quickly.

Hazel had to think fast, her brother's luck was bound to run out sooner rather than later, she was surprised as it was that he hadn't shamelessly fallen yet.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure moving on the beach.

"What are you two doing?" a voice wondered amusedly.

Hazel's eyes lit up, "Percy! Can you help me?"

Percy looked confused, "I don't know?"

"Can you make Nico's canoe reach the beach?"

Percy laughed, "Yeah, all right."

Once on solid ground, Hazel, a lot less nauseous herself, turned to her brother who was distinctly arguing how his boat was in need of a crew. Percy laughed at his younger cousin's antics.

Grabbing the boy's hand, Hazel made way to Nico's cabin, where the party had died down. Only Annabeth remained, waiting for Percy to come back.

"Here," Hazel gave her brother a glass of cold water.

Nico downed it happily, sitting on his bed.

Later that night, Hazel checked on Nico, who was snoring softly. She kissed his forehead and whispered, "Happy birthday, brother."

* * *

The next morning Hazel woke up to an empty cabin. Or empty as far as the beds' area went. She walked to the bathroom's door to find her brother hugging the toilet with his back to her.

"Morning," he muttered without even looking at her.

She suppressed a smile.

"Such a nice sunny day," she replied.

She couldn't see him from her position, but she was sure he rolled his eyes.

"Beautiful," he stated plainly.

"You seem a bit uptight," she commented innocently.

"Hazel, I threw up twice already," he said. "And the next time I'll aim towards you."

When he did turn, Hazel's suppressed smile was changed for a worried glance. Nico looked grey and sweaty. And most unhappy.

She took two steps forward and kneeled next to the teen. Then she hugged him not too tightly.

"Wait a minute," she whispered and left.

Nico was left in suspense for not one but six minutes, in which he did, indeed, vomit a third time, until Hazel returned with a glass of water and a big pill she dissolved in the glass.

"Will said it would help," she explained to her brother's curious glance.

"You told Will how much I suck at drinking?" he asked indignantly.

Regardless he drank the mysterious chemical gladly, and thanked Hazel politely.

"I don't mean to be the mom of our relationship," Hazel scolded him. "But what did we learn yesterday?"

"That I'm a jerk like Titanic Rose who would've let beautiful di Caprio die without battling an eyelash?"

Hazel chuckled, "Yeah," she agreed. "That and that never shall you ever invite a child of Hermes to a place with alcohol."


	3. A Tale of a New Beginning

**This one's around the time when Nico runs away from camp in TTC via the labyrinth, and eventually end up in the Underworld. The Titan's Curse is my favourite book of the saga, so I really took inspiration from it. I also noticed Hades isn't mentioned in the Winter Council when he should've been there, and I decided to give it a reason why.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy!**

 **PJO belongs to Rick Riordan.**

* * *

Hades didn't attend that year's Winter Solstice Meeting in Olympus. His daughter's death –even if he hadn't claimed Bianca in time- was much too fresh for him to face his family. He knew his two nephews would be there, and that both Zeus and Poseidon would praise their respective offsprings as if they had saved the world alone. He'd never attend just to hear how his daughter's name had been forgotten. And how another of his children had been set aside. Again.

So he stayed forseeing that Bianca's arrival was as smooth as he could manage without directly interfearing with the whole thing. He hoped at least they'd manage to keep Nico safe. There shouldn't be a reason for his son to be put in danger, after all, Chiron was a good teacher, and once the other campers had warmed up to his boy, he's officially claim him. That way, even when the others found out the truth, he hoped they'd accept Nico was no different from any other demigod, albeit more powerful.

He was reasonably surprised, then, when roughly a week after the whole ordeal he was told by one of him lieutenants that there was a living boy running around his domain.

His first thoughts had gone to Jackson, that insuferable brat with impetuous manner was surely running some errand for his father. He went to investigate, opting to stay in the shadows, using them to his advantage.

What he certainly didn't expect was his supposedly well protected son lighting a little fire by the Styx. _Honestly,_ he thought. _Could it be that hard for his children to be taken care of in that useless camp?_

He opted for leaving the kid alone. After all, Nico would surely find a way to the giant black castle in the distance on his own. But then he heard the boy snif.

Regardless of his own cold nature, Hades couldn't leave his son alone and upset; he was so young, unprepared for the harshness of the world. And he looked so small and defenseless.

In the dim light of the kid's gloomy fire he could see reflected the face of Maria di Angelo. It reminded the Lord of the Underworld of the few times he saw the woman cry. What would _she_ say if he left Nico alone to fend for himself?

With that thought in mind, and the warm memory of the Italian woman he'd fallen for so many years ago, he stepped into the light.

Nico's eyes widened with fear, "I..." he stuttered, a vague spark of reconition lighting his features. "I'm sorry I'm here. I'm lost."

"I am not here to kick you out," Hades explained calmly.

"Oh," his son replied, looking confused. "But you _are_ Hades, right? I though it had to be you, unless Persephone likes to go around disguising herself as a dude... Which is fine, of course! Or unless this _isn't_ the land of the dead, and then I'm even more lost than I..."

Hades raised his hand in a gesture for him to stop talking. He'd almost forgotten how fast his kid could talk.

"Sorry," Nico mumbled. "I don't realise when I talk too much."

"I have come to offer you a place to rest," Hades admitted.

"You have?" he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I don't mean to insult you, but you don't strike me as the kind of god who offers help around just because. I can't pay you."

Hades breathed deeply. How was he supposed to tell this kid that he was his father? And, _gods_ , how was he going to tell his _wife_ about his kid with another woman?

"You do not know who your godly parent is?" he asked, at last.

The boy shook his head and looked down. Hades had to teach him some manners, if he hadn't been his son, he'd have incinerated the kid for lack of respect.

"You're my son," the God of the Dead stated.

Nico stared at him in shock. His expressions as easy to read as an open book: astonishment, bemusement, undestanding, anger and hurt. And then, even if Hades was reluctant to consider it, he saw a small thread of hope.

"You could've helped Bianca," the boy mumbled as a new set of tears clouded his eyes. "You let her die!"

"I could not," he remarked. "And you should be more respectful around deities. I did not come here to talk about your sorrows."

He saw Nico swallow a comment that would've most likely been impulsive and of little wisdom.

"You offered a place to rest?" the boy asked, cleaning his dirty face with his sleeve. "I could do with a roof over my head."

Hades nodded his head curtly, "Follow me," he ordered.

As they got closer to the castle, Hades stole a few glances towards his son. He looked broken, in need of a home. He could not offer a warm, cuddly family, but at least he could give the child a few meals and a bed to rest. How was he going to tell Persephone, though? That was a mystery even to him, but he couldn't just leave his own kid out in the dangers of a world he'd barely just discovered.


	4. Google How to Solve It

**I had this one unfinished for the longest time! So here I bring some Hazel/Nico bromance for those who love them as much as I do, hope you like it.**

 **As always, this all belongs to Rick Riordan.**

* * *

After Nico left Las Vegas, getting used to the 21st century had taken just a little adjustment. The Lotus Hotel had slowly, but periodically been updated in a way that made it easier to figure out technology, and overall electronics. He knew about television, and music equipments, and most things.

The one thing that had caught his attention, besides Russia not being communist anymore, had been Google. The casino didn't allow connections to the outside, or at least not ones such as the Internet.

The moment he'd been introduced to the search engine he'd been marvelled, astonished, and curious. His initial trust towards Google and how that had grown into complete dependence to it was why he was at 3.30 _della mattina_ googling how come jellyfish thought without a brain.

"Hazel," he shout-whispered.

No answer from the other side of their blanket-curtain.

"Hazel!" he tried a little louder.

A groan from his sister made him smirk. Then he felt guilty. Then he dismissed his guilt, his news was something everyone certainly needed to know.

"Hazel," he called, now in speaking volume.

"What is it?" she asked sleepily.

"I need to tell you something," he said, getting up and going to sit next to the daughter of Pluto.

"Is it an emergency?" she said, sudden worry written all over her confused face.

"No," he admitted. "But I might forget in the morning so I have to tell you now."

"Please tell me this isn't like that time you woke me up to _enlighten me_ about how many cubs a polar bear could have in a life time."

"No, no," he shook his head. "This is shocking, I promise."

She sat up groggily, and stared at a picture he was showing him on his phone screen.

She looked at him with slight annoyance. He smiled encouragingly.

"Did you know that the Nomura's Jellyfish can grow to a diameter of 2.2 metres? They're tentacles can reach 7 metres! Do you even know how many feet those are? Like a million or something!"

"Go back to sleep," she told him, pulling her knees to herself in a more comfortable position, rolling away from her brother. "Jellyfish are gross."

"They're cool," he corrected. "And huge, 2.2 metres is taller than our cabin door! And 7? That's two storeys height, Hazel!"

Silence greeted his excitement.

"Fine," Nico conceded. "I'll go to sleep."

And sure he did, Hazel knew. His snores were soft but too regular to be faked, plus once his curiosity had been satisfied, he had nothing to stay awake for.

That was not the case for Hazel. She couldn't help thinking that she didn't go much to the beach, unless Percy was there, and even then she went in a group. Over the time she'd stay at Camp Half-Blood, he'd insisted in trying to teach her how to surf -an ability he'd acquired proudly but she lacked of completely-.

She'd always known jellyfish existed, but the ones she'd had the misfortune to encounter were not bigger than half a feet and looked like disks of transparent jelly. Not that horrific bush of certain death her brother had found "cool".

She shivered as she pictured the giant thing swimming next to them on the sea.

Twenty minutes later she was still turning and twisting, maybe they weren't even in America. She needed to find out, but how? This late at night who could...

What was that thing Nico used to find answers? The others had laughed once, Thalia and Percy had said it made him look like when he was 10, "hyperactively adorable but with _too many questions_ ".

Sahara? Salami?

She turned to face her brother, who had carelessly left the curtain open when he'd left. He was facing the wall with his head, but with his body looking down. One of his hands hung loosely from the side of the bed, an object still barely attached to it.

She quietly got up and took the phone from her brother's hand. He wouldn't be needing it. He grunted and mumbled something, then turned slightly.

She sat on her bed, curiosity getting the best of her. Nico had tried to teach her to use the phone. He'd told her the way to unlock the thing and how to use "apps".

She pushed the colourful symbol. _Safari_ , that was it!

It took a little bit, with Hazel continuously pressing the button again in case the phone had forgotten, or wasn't accepting her touch, or something.

After a while she got the hang of it. She found out that luckily, that type of jellyfish live in Asia, that 7 metres were almost 23 feet, that fetuses grew finger nails on the twelfth week, and a bunch of other interesting stuff.

She was actually having fun when the phone turned off all of a sudden.

Her eyes widened, what had she done? Nico was going to kill her! He hated people touching his cell with "all his black heart", as he had once explained.

She shoved the item in her bedside table's first drawer. She'd tell him tomorrow. The last thing she needed was to have to wake up her tired brother for this. He had to be in a good mood -or as good as he got- for her to tell him. What's more, she could even wait until he'd gone to his late morning routine in the infirmary. Because, infirmary meant Will, Will meant happiness, happiness meant a relative good mood, and a good mood meant he might even have patience with her for murdering his device.

Yes, tomorrow. He wouldn't even remember his phone. He didn't use it that much during the day.

* * *

The next morning Hazel woke up early. Camp Jupiter decidedly made campers get used to the lovely pink light of dawn. Nico of course kept sleeping until well after 9.

At breakfast, she sat with Jason and Percy on Jason's table. After everything that had happened, Percy and Jason had asked the camp's activity director whether they could sit together. Chiron had accepted as long as Mr D was all right with it. The camp's head had agreed with a not-very-sincere comment about not ruining any bromances.

"Mornin'," said Jason smiling.

Hazel liked mornings with her cousins. Even Thalia whom she'd met for a bit. They were funny to be around and avoided talking about their inborn twisted fate. She guessed when you were a kid of the Big Three out in the modern mortal world, better see the light in the darkness or you'd never be happy.

"Slept well?" Percy asked. He looked as if mornings _weren't_ his area of expertise.

She nodded as honestly as she could. They both eyed her strangely but kept quiet. They probably thought they were dreams about the war, or maybe even her own long forgotten past.

After a while, Nico joined them, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He grunted a 'good morning'.

"To you too," said Jason. "Hey I was wondering yesterday, I didn't know..."

"You never do, young cousin," Percy patted Jason's back.

" _Hilarious,_ " the blond remarked plainly. "Anyhow, who of us is the youngest? Because technically you guys are like 80," he explained looking at the children of the Underworld.

" _Eighty_?" Percy asked. "Is it really that much?"

"Here, let's make the math," Nico fumbled in his pockets. "Wait... Ah right, no phone. I must have dropped it when I slept, couldn't find it this morning."

"You were looking for dumb facts in the middle of the night again?" Jason raised an eyebrow.

"Let the kid find out stuff," Percy rolled his eyes.

"Hey! Didn't we just literally establish I'm old enough to be your grandfather?" Nico scoffed.

"Dreams are free, _kiddo_ ," Jason smiled, in good humour. "But you really should sleep more. You've got eye bags."

"Yes, _Nickie_ , our mamma bear here worries," Percy teased the blond. In a shrilly voice he added, "Sleep better, eat your greens, and brush your teeth before going to bed."

Nico snorted, "I'll go see what I can do in the infirmary."

"Ah, young love," Percy sighted when Nico was out of sight.

Hazel giggled.

"The new Brangelina," Jason agreed with a laugh.

* * *

Hazel sparred with Annabeth for a bit, then went to draw calmly at Arts & Crafts. Only after she returned to her cabin before lunch did she encounter the problem she'd try so hard not to face.

Nico was stretched face first in his bed trying to find something between it and the wall. She could see his back muscles moving as he tried to reach the thing with his arm.

"What are you doin'?" she asked calmly. She knew perfectly well but maybe he'd let it go. "Don't you wanna come for lunch?"

"Just a sec," he replied, his voice muffled by the covers. "It _has_ to be here somewhere."

"Aren't you hungry?" she insisted. "Saving lives with Will... it must be tiring."

He chuckled dryly as he stood up, and started pulling stuff from under his bed.

"I save no lives," he corrected. "Will does and I watch with interest."

"So," she said. "About lunch?"

"You're insistent!" he huffed. "Let me get my phone, and I'll go!"

Hazel sighted heavily. She had to tell him. Perhaps they could take it to the Hephaestus cabin and they'd fix it.

"You won't find it there," she whispered.

"Not with that attitude I won't," he muttered as he lied on his stomach, and crawled under the bed to see better. "Hey I found those Tic Tacs I lost the other day, you want one?"

She made a face, "Gross."

He mumbled something she couldn't quite hear and started moving objects here and there.

"I meant that I know where the phone is."

The shifting of things stopped. Nico emerged from under the bed, his hair full of dust bunnies.

"And you didn't tell me that before I hit the ground because...?" he questioned with slight irritation.

"I... borrowed it, last night, after you went to sleep," she admitted. Her voice small.

"Ah," he said. "Just tell me next time, yeah? I've been worrying over it for a while. That's as far as dad's affection goes he'd be mad if I lost that mobile."

"Cell," she suggested. "Percy and Jason call it that: cellphone. Why did you call it mobile?"

"Po-tey-to, po-tah-to," he shrugged indifferently.

"Ah."

"So," he stared at her expectantly. "Where can I find my cell-slash-mobile phone, if I may know."

She slowly opened her bedside drawer and handed the object to Nico.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

He eyed her wearily. Then eyed the device. Then pressed the home button. Some symbols appeared on screen, the ones that haunted her since last night.

"Did something happen to it?" he inquired.

"Those things!" she cried pointing to the screen. They won't go away!"

"Oh," he raised an eyebrow. "It only takes about two hours to charge. Don't be too depressed by that."

"Charge?" she wondered. "It's broken! I messed it up!"

He looked at her bemused. Then his eyes cleared.

"No, no, Hazel!" he talked quickly. "It's not broken, it needs to be charged! Every cell does, it's the only way you can carry it around with you!"

"So..." she looked strangely at the apple that appeared on screen. It seemed to be missing a bit.

"It's supposed to do this," Nico explained. "Or well, not this often, I've never got any battery, Jason's always mad at me because of that. But it's normal for it to turn off."

She stared at the floor, her cheeks felt warm.

He seemed to realise she was put off by this news.

He smiled tentatively. He didn't want to make her feel dumb.

"Hazel," he said, slowly. "No one will laugh at you for this."

"You don't think so?"

"Nah," he shook his head, wrinkling his nose for effect. "After I tried to push an automatic door there's nothing they haven't already seen."

* * *

 **I** _ **know**_ **demigods aren't supposed to have phones, but c'mon, that rule's obsolete in any way that matters when it comes to fanfiction. Also, I know Brangelina isn't the best comparison right now, but have in mind I wrote it before and I really have no other couple I could name off my head.**

 **If you liked it please leave a review, it'd make me super happy.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **TagTheScullion**


	5. A hundred and fifty nine hours

**Hi! I haven't forgotten about this story, I just didn't feel too inspired. After reading a bunch of thematic fanfics myself, and a thousand-pages book featuring a couple of pairs of siblings, I felt like writing about the Underworld siblings once more.**

 **As always I hope you enjoy :D**

 **PJO belongs to Uncle Rick**

* * *

Hazel was aghast. When the news had come, she thought her brain would explode by the many emotions turmoiling her thoughts. Shock. Dread. Despair. Hurry. Guilt.

Guilt.

As she travelled to New York as fast as she could it was guilt that plagued her head and tinted her thoughts with the sour taste of regret.

If only she had been there with him. But he was still alive, she reminded herself. He wasn't dead yet.

 _I... I don't know if...' a cleared throat. 'If he'll pass the night,' Will said roughly._

Frank had immediately taken her hand and sat her on the shotgun seat of the SUVs Camp Jupiter owned. And for that she couldn't help but be eternally grateful.

After two and a half days of mad driving and barely over fifteen words spoken between them, Frank and Hazel arrived to Camp Half-Blood.

The infirmary was dreadfully quiet, the only sound was a plain groaning in one of the furthest curtain-covered beds. She paid no attention to it, as she was worried about the figure in the bed closest to her.

Her brother's pale, cold figure lied motionless. A bandage wrapped his head tightly and an IV line stood out in his left arm.

Sitting beside Nico in an uncomfortable looking chair was Will Solace, gripping the son of Hades' hand and murmuring under his breath.

Hazel put a hand on the blond's shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie. Will stood up suddenly and hugged her shakily. She put her arms around him and cried.

After drying her lacrimal gland, she sat beside Will and waited.

While she waited, the seconds ticking by slowly, the minutes taking hours, and the hours taking days. She had more than enough time to replay her awfully mistaken decisions.

Nico had asked her to come along some trip or quest, his exact words were fuzzy in her memory.

She said no, under the pretense that a cross country trip of the two mortal children of the King of the Underground was not a good plan. Too many monsters and a slim chance of success.

He was disappointed. He didn't voice it too much, albeit he did express it rather obviously in his voice tone. She knew he didn't mean to blame her for not coming, but lately Nico had been spoiled by many people -including their father who decided it was time to be a present parent-.

She hated to admit that jealousy had been part of what led her to abandon her brother in his quest. It wasn't envy towards Bianca anymore, Nico had proven over and over that he considered her just as close. It was the notion that their father might favour him over her.

She imagined it was her own twisted mind, and not reality for Pluto -or Hades, whatever the difference- wasn't allowed to see her for a real, tangible reason. And him visiting her or summoning her as often as he did to her brother could only end in disaster.

Basically, she said no to Nico and now he laid half-dead, half-dying with his cranium busted in because of her.

"Don't," said Will, making her jump. "Stop blaming yourself."

His voice was deeper than usual, and less melodious. She guessed he'd also been crying as much as her, if not more.

"How did you know?"

"That's the same look in Percy's face, and Jason's, and Nico's. I think I even saw it in Thalia, once or twice," he tried to smile. "You kids of the Big Three sure love to overwhelm yourselves with blame."

Hazel put her head on his shoulder. For once glad it wasn't Frank next to her. She loved Frank dearly, but he wouldn't quite understand right now. If anyone was feeling like her at that moment, it _had_ to be Will.

"I didn't go with him," she spat.

"Hazel, if you had..." Will paused and breathed heavily. "It would've been two of you instead of one here."

Four more days she sat like that, idly and upset, next to Will Solace. With Nico breathing mechanically slowly before their eyes.

Once or twice people would sneak in to accompany them for a bit. Annabeth and Percy sat with them for hours. Jason hugged them both and took Nico's other hand for a bit.

It was almost as if Nico was already dead, and they came to give their condolences.

But Nico didn't agree with their plan, and woke up after a hundred and fifty nine hours of painstaking dullness.

"I thought you'd never wake up!" cried Will, with the biggest grin Hazel had seen on him yet.

"You know I hate early mornings, I always strive for ten more minutes," Nico replied weakly.

"You could've died!" Hazel told him teary-eyed.

"Percy owes me a cheeseburger, I can't die yet," Nico shook his head.

Jason came in seven minutes later, tripping in the doorway, regaining balance quickly enough.

"Stealing my MO of passing out via head injuries?" the son of Jupiter laughed with relief.

"Figured it was worth a shot, given how often _you_ subject yourself to it," Nico answered with a smirk.

The more people came in, the stronger and quicker-witted Nico's comments became, alerting Hazel than he was indeed getting better.

Will went off to have some dinner, prompted by one of his siblings who came to warn him that he hadn't eaten in a long while. He promised to get Hazel a sandwich. And Nico demanded pork chops and chips, because 'even comatose people get hungry'.

And then it was Hazel and Nico by themselves. Until their father walked in, that is.

Hazel tried to hide her surprise, and Nico raised an eyebrow.

Hades sat elegantly on the chair Will had vacated.

"You had me worried," he deadpanned.

"Well... it would've saved you the trouble of grounding me," Nico shrugged.

"And it would've added me the trouble of Persephone and you arguing forever..." Hades rolled his eyes.

"I know for a fact that she doesn't despise me anymore," Nico said reassuringly.

Hades raised an eyebrow.

"That much," Nico admitted.

Hades looked at him.

"Very deep inside her heart," Nico added as an afterthought.

"Regardless, I would rather you visited on your own free will," Hades remarked.

Nico stared at him with a strange look on his face. Hazel guessed he still wasn't used to the Lord of the Dead being _caring_.

"It goes for the both of you," their father said, looking at her this time.

"I thought we couldn't meet too often," she wondered in a small voice.

"I've spoken with Thanatos," Hades explained. "He's willing to allow a small slip in the laws of revival."

He put a hand on her shoulder, nodded at Nico who smiled back confidently, and left.

"I think that's the warmest he's capable of," Nico said proudly.

Hazel smiled in spite of herself. Her previous envy gone in a puff. Pluto did care. He cared enough to let his strict laws off and to spare her.

She got up and hugged Nico for what felt like the thousandth time that afternoon.

"I love having a family," she said thickly.

Nico put his head on her shoulder, "Ditto," he mumbled, and hugged her back fiercely.


	6. Pride

**New chapter (I'm not MIA anymore)! I found the idea of this one on a note I'd written ages ago, in an iPod I don't use anymore. Old stuff. Old enough that I probably hadn't even read Heroes of Olympus back then. I edited it and here it is :)**

* * *

Hades was used to anger.

It was something usual in him; it was since he got stuck in the Underworld, a kingdom so big it left him no time to enjoy it, and piles of trouble –paperwork, lots of paperwork. Not even having a wife made his mood any better.

His son had been right, his children's fatal flaw was holding grudges because their father was like that. He couldn't let the past go, whatever had hurt him… simply because it was all he had left.

His family? They had put him aside, surrounded by annoying immortals or brainless souls.

His wife? She didn't like spending time with him, and she complained too much, plus she often was on her mother's side.

His children? He had no immortal kids to spend time with, like Poseidon had Triton, or Zeus had… he could never remember exactly how many... well Zeus had half of the Olympic Council.

He couldn't go to the mortal world because of the Ancient Laws, and the fear of falling in love, and he didn't think he could stand another tragic story like Maria's in a long, long time. He only had his memories, and his mood reflected the sourness in these.

He'd thought he could get something good from the war. His relatives would destroy each other and pay for the damage they had done. He would be left alone with his wife -and her mother, who he could turn in his favour, given one or two millenia-, and probably the best part of the deal, his son. He'd tried to hide it with forced anger and disappointment, if he were to show how much he cared then his family would've tried to kill the boy, for revenge. He was his son, a part of Maria lived in him, he understood pain and solitude, they could be a family together, regardless the lies.

Since he'd found Nico, after getting some information about his mother, he'd been going on, and on, and on about the same thing. " _Percy this, Percy that"_ he was losing the little patience he had, and nothing good ever came out of his anger.

He even thought of killing the boy himself, at one point, but one look to his eyes, brown, just like Maria's, had stopped him. _She lives in him. I can't kill all I've got left of her_. He knew that even if the boy had nothing to do with Maria, the kid was _his son_ , he could scold and threaten him, but not hurt him. At some point he gave up trying to build a barrier, a wall to distance himself from the boy, probably one of the best decisions he'd ever made.

Now they were all sitting on Olympus, safe and sound from Kronos –at least for now, dear old father seldom sat still for too long-. He admitted he could be calm, even in that horrible guest chair he was sitting in, which gave him way less than the respect he deserved. He would let it go that time, however, the heroes had arrived, and Nico was amidst them.

Hades thought the boy would stay with his friends, the kid was fond of some demigods, -including the one he wished nothing more but to destroy-. Or maybe he'd hid in the shadows, so as to not be noticed. He didn't blame him, being a child of the Underworld didn't exactly bring honour, it gave fear and uneasiness between demigods and gods alike.

To his utmost surprise, the boy didn't.

Nico strode towards him, his armour in pieces, bandages in his arms and chest, but he was whole, a fact we was thankful for. The kid stared at him for a minute, before seating by his feet, silently. And yet, there he was, next to him… as if he was proud of Hades being his father, no matter what.

Despite his best efforts to supress it, a smile appeared on his lips for his son. _I'm proud of you, too, Nico,_ he thought to himself. His son had accepted his destiny, fought bravely despite being outcasted by the very same people he tried to defended, and valiantly led an army of undead soldiers. Nico had brought him honour, and that was something that he, god or not, would never forget.


End file.
